Chapter 23 - Liu He

The man dressed in gray was none other than Liu He, the son of Liu Changsheng, an elder of the Corpse Yin Sect.

Liu Changsheng’s cultivation level stood at the pinnacle of the contemporary world, with Elder Xuan Yi being his only equal.

Despite having lived in solitude for thousands of years, Liu Changsheng eventually grew weary of his loneliness. He took a wife, who bore him a son.

Though Liu Changsheng deeply loved his son, he did not spoil him. After imparting his cultivation technique to Liu He, he sent him out into the world to gain experience.

Liu He, in pursuit of mastering the Nine Yin Fiend God Technique and forging the Netherworld Ghost Banner, traveled far and wide in search of lands rich in Fiendish Qi, Death Energy, Resentment Energy, and Yin Energy, and did not hesitate to kill to absorb these energies.

When Leng Yan encountered Liu He, Liu He was aware of his presence but smirked dismissively and continued his assault on the white tigress.

Leng Yan realized that this individual must be the evil sect disciple Zhang Tao had mentioned, wielding a middle-grade treasure tool-the Netherworld Ghost Banner.

“Sky-Splitting Slash!”

The white tiger, whose cultivation was mysterious and didn’t seem demonic, was of no concern. Focused solely on rescuing Little Tiger, Leng Yan summoned the Sun Essence Wheel. Enveloped in a Golden Light, it spun rapidly and soared towards Liu He, who was surrounded by Yin Energy.

“Presumptuous! You dare to confront me with a high-grade treasure tool? You’re seeking death!”

Contempt flashed across Liu He’s face as he waved a single hand, causing the Netherworld Ghost Banner to emit a cacophony of ghostly wails and howls. Thousands of ghost souls, baring their teeth and claws, surged towards the Sun Essence Wheel.

“Ah!”

The Sun Essence Wheel, crafted from the essence of Yang Energy, had immense destructive power against malevolent forces. The thousand ghost souls, not yet close to the Sun Essence Wheel, screamed in agony under the light of the Golden Light, scattering in terror.

“Waste! Explode for me!” Frustrated by the cowardice of his ghost souls, Liu He, without a second thought, commanded the thousands of ghost souls to detonate.

The ghost souls, being ordinary human souls by nature, were timid and prone to flee at the first sign of danger. If these souls had been warriors or cultivators, fearless in the face of death, they would have been truly formidable.

“Boom! Boom!”

The simultaneous explosion of thousands of ghost souls unleashed tremendous force. Shockwaves rippled outward, reducing trees and rocks to dust wherever they passed.

“Moon Essence Wheel, protect!” Leng Yan leaped to tigress and Little Tiger’s side, circulating the Moon Essence Wheel around him, erecting a vast light shield that enveloped them both and the tiger.

“Boom!”

The force of the attack struck the light shield, causing a series of thudding impacts, and the light shield trembled continuously, developing cracks in its moon-white glow, a testament to the strength of the explosive aftermath.

The Sun Essence Wheel, at the center of the explosion, was blasted away by the force, and Leng Yan hastily recalled it.

Meanwhile, Liu He, surrounded by a swirl of Yin Energy, neutralized the force of the attack entirely, showcasing the vast difference a single realm can make.

Facing this force, Leng Yan deployed his strongest magical treasure for protection, and it almost shattered, while his opponent stood calm and composed amidst the energetic turmoil.

His earlier defeat of Li Kai had been purely due to the suppression of their cultivation techniques; otherwise, he would definitely not be a match for Li Kai.

“Two high-grade treasure tools! I didn’t expect you to be so wealthy. The protective magical treasure on you is rich with Yin Energy, just what I need. Hand it over, and I might let you go; otherwise? You should know you’re no match for me, and the only outcome is a dead end!” Liu He landed on the ground, his eyes gleaming with greed as he stared at the Moon Essence Wheel protecting Leng Yan.

“Enough already, don’t you guys have any other opening lines? If you can kill me, just do it. Why all the talk? I know I’m not your match, but we cultivators do not fear a fight! If I can’t muster the courage to challenge even a minor evil cultivator like you, how can I talk about defying the heavens in my cultivation!” Leng Yan said, as the Sun Essence Wheel in his hand spun rapidly, buzzing loudly!

“Flatteringly, you’re commendably brave; less flatteringly, you’re overestimating yourself!” Liu He said, as the Netherworld Ghost Banner floated beside him, its eerie wails echoing around.

Leng Yan was well aware of his disadvantage, but in the face of a formidable enemy, losing composure was a taboo. The more dangerous the situation, the more crucial it was to remain calm to find a sliver of survival chance.

“Whether it’s overestimating myself or being commendably brave, I only know not to trust the words of an enemy!” Leng Yan took a step back and tossed a healing elixir into the tigress’s mouth.

“You’re smart to stall for time! Once this White Tiger heals, it’ll be tough to handle you both together. But that doesn’t matter! Now, I’ll send you on your way.”

“Nine Yin Fiend Tiger! Kill!”

Liu He’s face, originally wearing a sinister smile, suddenly turned deadly as he roared loudly, forming hand seals. A black tiger, its body emitting a dark aura, charged towards Leng Yan.

“Water Dragon Technique! Break!” Leng Yan thought he had been discreet, but Liu He had discovered him. Now, faced with Liu He’s attack, he had no choice but to withstand it.

The black tiger roared while the water dragon howled. The two magical techniques clashed in the air, like a dragon and tiger in battle.

As the dragon and tiger collided, a thunderous roar resounded, scattering darkness and shattering Water Qi all around, leaving the battlefield in chaos.

“What kind of cultivation technique is this? A youngster at the Magical Power Realm managing to crush my True Essence Realm magical technique! Impressive! No wonder he dares to battle me. Ghost Soul Formation, charge!” Liu He, seeing his magical technique crumble, was even more incited to attack.

“Ghost Soul Formation!” Thousands of ghostly souls flew out from the Netherworld Ghost Banner. These souls, dressed in black armor and wielding black long spears, along with sturdy shields, were clearly not a ragtag force like the ones before.

These thousands of ghostly souls formed a square formation, chanting “Kill! Kill! Kill!” amidst their chants, an intangible fighting spirit emerged. These souls, warriors who died on the battlefield, now faced danger without fear, charging towards Leng Yan with a sky-high killing intent.

“Damn! Is this a mob beating? Nine Sky-Splitting Slashes! Annihilate them!” Leng Yan, seeing the thousands of ghostly souls in formation, felt a chill rise within him. Swearing, he quickly summoned the Sun Essence Wheel, splitting it into nine, and charged into the ghost soul formation.

Nine Sun Essence Wheels surged forward, and amidst the ghostly souls, a burly man shouted, “Shield formation, defend!”

Following this burly man’s command, thousands of ghostly souls soared, lifting their shields above their heads to form a protective shield wall.

“Think you can stop my high-grade treasure tool? Break through!” Leng Yan, shocked at the ghostly souls’ ability to change formation, watched as the nine Sun Essence Wheels crashed against the shield wall, unable to break through immediately.

As they attacked one spot, the nine Sun Essence Wheels danced in the air, striking together at the same spot.

“Boom!”

The nine Sun Essence Wheels focused their attack, instantly shattering a shield. The Sun Essence Wheels finally breached the formation of ghost souls, the golden Yang Energy shining on them, causing the Yin Energy of the ghost souls to evaporate.

“Swish swish!”

The nine Sun Essence Wheels, like nine scythes reaping lives, turned any ghost soul they slashed into flying ash.

In the blink of an eye, Leng Yan had slain over six hundred ghost souls, including a commanding brute who became his primary target to be slain and turned into ash.

“Damn it! Enough talking! These military souls, which I spent great effort to subdue, are being slaughtered by you like this; die!” Liu He, seeing the heavy losses among the military souls, was furious. Knowing that these souls, fearless in death, could explode upon reaching the enemy for unexpected effects, he couldn’t allow Leng Yan to continue his slaughter.

As Liu He finished speaking, the crowd of ghost souls retreated like a tide. However, a black orb shot out.

This black orb, the size of a grape, exuded a dangerous aura that Leng Yan sensed.

He hastily retreated, setting up a Mystic Ice Shield in front of him and activating the protective shield of the Moonlight Ring. The White Tiger, having consumed Leng Yan’s Healing Elixir, had recovered significantly from his injuries and also sensed the impending danger, quickly leaping backward. Little Tiger had long since disappeared without a trace.

“Boom!”

A thunderous explosion echoed through the forest. Leng Yan, not having escaped far, felt his body being blasted away, experiencing unparalleled pain. His defenses shattered instantly, a testament to the explosion’s power.

Leng Yan groaned in pain, his back a bloody mess. While he still had a shred of consciousness, he quickly popped a Healing Elixir into his mouth.

As Leng Yan was thrown, an ancient mirror, the only thing his father had left him, fell from his body. With hands covered in fresh blood, he struggled to hold the ancient mirror.

At that moment, the mirror absorbed the blood from Leng Yan’s hands, and an ancient voice began to murmur in his mind.